Package having a suspension platform for an article, packaging kit having a suspension platform, and method of packaging an article

ABSTRACT

An article suspension package for receiving an article is provided and this article receiving package can be provided as a standalone component on which an article is displayed, stowed, or carried, as a component for use in conjunction with other components such as, for example, a storage box or a shipping box in which the article suspension package and the article are disposed, and as an integral component with a packaging kit that is configured such that a platform tier of the article suspension package and the other components of the package kit can be wholly or substantially formed from the same sheet material such as, for example, a cardboard sheet material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Several packaging solutions have been commercially offered that comprise a relatively rigid cardboard panel and a polymeric film tube associated with a portion of the cardboard panel for cooperating with the cardboard panel to secure an article. In such designs, an article inserted between the rigid panel and the film tube may be held in place against the rigid panel by folding the sides of the structure to tighten the flexible film material against the object. The use of such packaging structures is often favored for transporting products that are not regarded as being highly breakable but for which immobilization during shipment would be nonetheless desirable (e.g., books, compact discs (CDs), digital video discs (DVDs), and the like). Additional designs of suspension packages have been proposed, including designs having a frame and a product-restraining hammock extending across a central opening in the frame. When the ends of the frame are folded to be perpendicular thereto in order to tension the hammock, a product may be suspended in the central opening.

In spite of such suspension packages and systems that have heretofore been proposed to handle the problems associated with conventional packaging structures, however, the need still remains for improvements in packages and package kits that reliably secure and protect articles to be shipped, stowed, or displayed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides, in one aspect thereof, an article suspension package for receiving an article is provided and this article receiving package can be provided as a standalone component on which an article is displayed, stowed, or carried, as a component for use in conjunction with other components such as, for example, a storage box or a shipping box in which the article suspension package and the therein received article are disposed, and as an integral component with a packaging kit that is configured such that a platform tier of the article suspension package and the other components of the package kit can be wholly or substantially formed from the same sheet material such as, for example, a cardboard sheet material.

One aspect of the present invention includes a package for retaining an article. The package comprises a sheet material, the sheet material having a lower panel, an upper panel, and a platform panel. The sheet material is disposable between a retaining configuration in which the platform panel is intermediate the lower panel and the upper panel as viewed relative to an elevation axis and a non-use configuration. The lower panel and the upper panel delimit, in the retaining configuration, a receipt volume having pair of lateral sides spaced apart from one another as viewed relative to a lateral axis perpendicular to the elevation axis and a pair of ends spaced apart from one another as viewed relative to a depth axis perpendicular to the elevation axis and the lateral axis. The platform panel is foldable about the lateral axis to dispose the platform panel within a respective area that will ultimately be delimited as the receipt volume once the sheet material is disposed in its retaining configuration. It also has an overlay, the overlay having a lateral extent across at least a portion of the platform panel and an opening edge. The overlay is arranged relative to the platform panel in a manner wherein the opening edge of the overlay and a counter facing portion of the platform panel together delimit an opening through which an article can be inserted for positioning of the article in a stowage position with the overlay extending along one side of the article and the platform panel extending along an opposite side of the article. The overlay opening edge is on one respective side of an opening border and the counter facing portion of the platform panel is on the other respective side of the opening border. The platform panel has a stage open path and at least a portion of the stage open path delimits a line that is not parallel to the lateral axis. The platform panel and the overlay opening edge are disposable from an opening reducing position into an opening enlarging position and one given portion of the platform panel on one side of the stage open path moves relative to another given portion of the platform panel on an opposite side of the stage open path as the platform panel and the overlay opening edge are disposed from the opening reducing position into the opening enlarging position.

Another aspect of the present invention includes a package for retaining an article. The package comprises a sheet material, the sheet material having an anchor panel and a platform panel. The sheet material is disposable between a retaining configuration in which a portion of the platform panel is spaced from the anchor panel as viewed relative to an elevation axis and a non-use configuration. The anchor panel and the platform panel each have a fulcrum edge portion and the fulcrum edge portions of the anchor panel and the platform panel being connected to one another at a fulcrum location. The anchor panel and the platform panel are foldable relative to one another at the fulcrum location about a lateral axis perpendicular to the elevation axis. This aspect of the present invention also includes an overlay, the overlay having a lateral extent along at least a portion of the platform panel and having a depth extent as viewed relative to a depth axis perpendicular to the elevation axis and the lateral axis and the overlay having an opening edge. The overlay is arranged relative to the platform panel in a manner wherein the opening edge of the overlay and a counter facing portion of the platform panel together delimit an opening through which an article can be inserted for positioning of the article in a stowage position with the overlay extending along one side of the article and the platform panel extending along an opposite side of the article. The overlay opening edge is on one respective side of an opening border and the counter facing portion of the platform panel is on the other respective side of the opening border. The platform panel has a stage open path and at least a portion of the stage open path delimits a line that is not parallel to the lateral axis. The platform panel and the overlay opening edge are disposable from an opening reducing position into an opening enlarging position and one given portion of the platform panel on one side of the stage open path moving relative to another given portion of the platform panel on an opposite side of the stage open path as the platform panel and the overlay opening edge are disposed from the opening reducing position into the opening enlarging position. The anchor panel and the platform panel, in the retaining configuration, are folded relative to one another at the fulcrum location about the lateral axis to form a retention included angle between the fulcrum edge portions of the platform panel and the anchor panel and the platform panel and the anchor panel, in the non-use configuration, together delimits a sheet blank in which the included angle between the fulcrum edge portions of the platform panel and the anchor panel, as measured in the same direction as the retention included angle between the fulcrum edge portions of the platform panel and the anchor panel in the retaining configuration, is greater than the retention included angle. The platform panel and the anchor panel are cooperatively configured such that a movement of the one given portion of the platform panel on one side of the stage open path relative to the other given portion of the platform panel on the opposite side of the stage open path as the platform panel and the overlay opening edge are disposed from the opening reducing position into the opening enlarging position does not substantially generate a movement of the anchor panel about the depth axis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of the article suspension platform having an article retained therein;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the platform tier with the retained article;

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an exterior box and the housing and the platform tier as a sub-assembly operable as an internal stabilization assembly within the exterior box;

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the housing as a standalone exterior box;

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of the housing and showing the orientation of the housing relative to three reference axes;

FIG. 6 is a top elevational view of a flat, planar sheet blank;

FIG. 7 is a top elevational view of a flat, planar sheet blank of a further version of the article suspension platform; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of another version of the article suspension platform.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

One aspect of the present invention relates to a article suspension platform for receiving an article, and this article receiving platform can be provided as a standalone component on which an article is displayed, stowed, or carried, as a component for use in conjunction with other components such as, for example, a storage box or a shipping box in which the suspension platform and the therein received article are disposed, and as an integral component with a packaging kit that is configured such that the article suspension platform and the other components of the package kit can be wholly or substantially formed from the same sheet material such as, for example, a cardboard sheet material. To assist in an understanding of the versatility and flexibility of the article suspension platform of the present invention, reference will now be had to the figures of the drawings and to the following descriptions of exemplary configurations of the article suspension platform, exemplary configurations of the article suspension platform operable in conjunction with other packaging components, and exemplary aspects of the method of the present invention for forming an article suspension platform, and exemplary configurations of a packaging kit having an article suspension platform for disposing and securing an article in or on an article suspension platform.

One embodiment of an article suspension platform is illustrated in FIG. 1, which is an enlarged perspective view of the article suspension platform, hereinafter generally designated as the platform tier 10, having an article retained therein. The platform tier 10 is comprised of a portion of a sheet material, this sheet material portion herein designated as a deck 12, and an overlay, herein designated as a sleeve 14. The deck 12 and the sleeve 14 cooperate together, in a manner to be described in more detail herein, to advantageously retain an article such as, for example, a cell phone 16, in a desired predetermined retained position relative to the platform tier 10. The sleeve 14 may be comprised of a plastic film tube or may be configured as a single layer plastic material.

For a more detailed overview of the ultimate uses into which the platform tier 10 shown in FIG. 1 can be deployed, reference is now had to FIG. 2, which is a schematic perspective view of the platform tier 10, having the retained cell phone 16 secured thereon, and an allied package module, with the assembly of the platform tier 10 and the allied package module hereinafter designated as a housing 50. The housing 50 is deployable as a container in which the platform tier 10 is secured to remain in a predetermined relationship relative to the housing 50. The housing 50 may be deployed, for example, as an internal stabilization component of a packaging kit having an exterior box or, alternatively, the housing 50 may be deployed as a packaging kit in the form of a stand-alone exterior box configured to receive, for example, other components such as, for example, a shipping label, postage, or printed indicia. The housing 50 is shown in broken lines so that relationship of the platform tier 10 and the retained cell phone 16 with the housing 50 can be better understood.

As seen in FIG. 3, which is a schematic perspective view of the housing 50 (and the platform tier 10) within an exterior box 52 (the exterior box 52 being shown in broken lines), the housing 50 is operable as an internal stabilization component of a packaging kit. The packaging kit is thus formed of the exterior box 52 and the housing 50 (with the platform tier 10 and the thereon secured article) and the packaging kit is deployable with the exterior box 52 itself serving, for example, as a shipping or cargo box having a shipping label, postage, and/or printed indicia applied thereon. The housing 50 shown in FIG. 3 operates as an internal stabilization component or sub-assembly in that the platform tier 10 retains the cell phone 16 in a predetermined secured relationship relative to the platform tier, the housing 50 retains the platform tier 10 and the therein retained cell phone 16 in a predetermined secured relationship relative to the housing, and the exterior box 52 retains the housing 50 with the therein secured platform tier 10 and the cell phone 16 in a predetermined secured relationship relative to the exterior box 52. The overall beneficial result of the various secured relationships of the components to one another is that the respective article being retained (the cell phone 16) can be stored, shipped, re-positioned within an inventory storage arrangement, or displayed for retail sale all while being retained within the exterior box 52 is a manner that resists penetration forces, crush forces, dislodging forces, and other detrimental insults or events that may occur.

While the housing 50 can be configured as shown in FIG. 3 as an internal stabilization component for retention within an exterior box, the housing 50 can alternatively be deployed as a packaging kit in the form of the housing 50 (with the platform tier 10 and the thereon secured article) operating as a stand-alone exterior box. As seen in FIG. 4, which is a schematic perspective view of the housing as a standalone exterior box, the housing 50 in this alternative deployment configuration is configured as an enclosed box having a lower panel, an upper panel, a pair of lateral side panels, and a pair of end panels. The housing 50 retains therein the platform tier 10 with the therein retained cell phone 16 and is of a configuration suitable for shipping or transport as a standalone exterior box. In this connection, the housing 50 can be provided, for example, as seen in FIG. 4, with a shipping label 54 bearing an address to which the box 50 can be delivered via, for example, a government postal service or a private package delivery service.

With reference again to FIG. 1, further details of the platform tier 10 will be provided. The platform tier 10 is representative of a package of a basic configuration operable to retain an article. However, the present invention contemplates that the platform tier 10 is particularly suitable for cooperative deployment or integrated construction with other packaging components, and a description will now be provided of the platform tier 10 as deployed as such a component adapted for cooperative use with other packaging components. Also, a description will now be provided of the platform tier 10 deployed as a component adapted to operate as a part of an integrated construction that comprises these other packaging components as well. In this respect, the description will, in some instances, refer to the platform tier 10 and the therewith associated other packaging components in a status as a flat, generally planar sheet blank that is in a suitable configuration for compact and space saving storage with other sheet blanks but is not yet deployed into an article securing configuration—i.e., not yet deployed into a non-planar configuration such as, for example, a configuration as an internal stabilization sub-assembly or as a standalone exterior box.

Reference is now had to FIG. 6, which is a top elevational view of a flat, planar sheet blank, hereinafter generally designated as the sheet blank 100, that is comprised of the sleeve 14 and a cardboard sheet material, a portion of which will ultimately form the deck 12 of the platform tier 10, as will be described in more detail hereinafter. The sheet blank 100 includes a lower panel 102, an upper panel 104, and a platform panel 106, the platform panel 106 ultimately being operable as the deck 12 in a manner to be described in more detail hereinafter. The sheet blank 100 is disposable between a non-erected configuration and an erected configuration in which the platform panel 106 is intermediate the lower panel 102 and the upper panel 104 as viewed relative to an elevation axis. The platform panel 106 has the sleeve 14 fitted therearound in a generally loose fit when the sheet blank 100 is in its non-erected configuration but, as will be described hereinafter, the disposition of the sheet blank 100 from its non-erected configuration into its erected configuration operates to tighten or “cinch” the sleeve 14 relative to the platform panel 106 so that the sleeve 14 and the platform panel 106 cooperatively retain the article therebetween.

In the erected configuration of the sheet blank 100, the sheet blank forms all of the components of the housing 50 shown in FIG. 3, with the exception of the sheet 14, which, as noted, is disposed around the platform panel 106, it being understood that the cell phone 16, as the article to be retained, is not comprised as a component of the housing 50 itself. As seen in FIG. 5, which is a schematic representation of three reference axes and their relation to the housing 50 shown in FIG. 2, the elevation axis EL-AX is perpendicular to a lateral axis LA-AX and a depth axis DE-AX is perpendicular to both the elevation axis EL-AX and the lateral axis LA-AX. The lateral axis LA-AX and the depth axis DE-AX are shown relative to the sheet blank 100 in FIG. 6 as being in the same plane while the elevation axis EL-AX shown relative to the sheet blank 100 in FIG. 6 is perpendicular to the common plane in which the lateral axis LA-AX and the depth axis DE-AX are located. The lower panel 102 and the upper panel 104 delimit, in the retaining configuration of the sheet blank 100, a receipt volume REC-VOL, and this receipt volume REC-VOL has a pair of lateral sides spaced apart from one another as viewed relative to the lateral axis LA-AX and a pair of ends spaced apart from one another as viewed relative to the depth axis DE-AX. With reference to FIG. 2, the receipt volume REC-VOL is, for example, the volume delimited or bounded by the pair of lateral sides, the pair of end sides, the lower side, and the upper side of the housing 50.

With reference to FIG. 6, the platform panel 106 is foldable about the lateral axis LA-AX to dispose the platform panel 106 within a respective area that will ultimately be delimited as the receipt volume REC-VOL once the sheet blank 100 is disposed in its retaining configuration. As seen in FIG. 6, the lateral axis LA-AX is coincident with a fold line FL-10. The sheet blank 100 also includes an overlay in the form of the sleeve 14. The sleeve 14 has a lateral extent across at least a portion of the platform panel 106 and has an opening edge 108. The sleeve 14 is arranged relative to the platform panel 106 in a manner wherein the opening edge 108 of the sleeve 14 and a counter-facing portion of the platform panel 106 together delimit an opening 110 through which an article can be inserted for positioning of the article in a stowage position with the sleeve 14 extending along one side of the article and the platform panel 106 extending along an opposite of the article. As seen in FIG. 1, the sleeve opening edge 108 is on one respective side of an opening border O-OB delimited by the opening 110 and the counter-facing portion of the platform panel 106 is on the other respective side of the opening border O-OB.

The platform panel 106 has a stage open path and at least a portion of the stage open path delimits a line that is not parallel to the lateral axis LA-AX. The stage open path may be a single continuous series of locations along the platform panel 106 or may be a plurality of continuous series of locations along the platform panel 106. Two respective portions of the platform panel 106 can be folded relative to one another with the stage open path serving as the folding interface or interfaces and at least one of the continuous series of locations along the platform panel 106 forming the stage open path delimits a line that is not parallel to the lateral axis LA-AX. For exemplary purposes, the stage open path of the platform panel 106 is in the form of a pair of curved fold lines 112, 114, each being a continuous series of locations along the platform panel 106, and the fold line 112 delimits a vector line 116 that intersects the lateral axis LA-AX and, therefore, is not parallel to the lateral axis.

The platform panel 106 and the sleeve opening edge 108 are disposable from an opening reducing position into an opening enlarging position with the platform panel 106 in the opening enlarging position having a gap location G-PP and the sleeve opening edge 108 having a corresponding gap location G-OO with the respective gap locations defining a transverse line TL passing through the gap locations. The gap location G-PP of the platform panel 106 is spaced further from the corresponding gap location G-OO of the sleeve opening edge 108 relative to the transverse line TL when the platform panel 106 and the sleeve opening edge 108 are in the opening enlarging position than when the platform panel 106 and the sleeve opening edge 108 are in the opening reducing position. Additionally, one given portion of the platform panel 106 is on one side of the stage open path and this one given portion of the platform panel moves relative to another given portion of the platform panel that is on an opposite side of the stage open path as the platform panel 106 and the sleeve opening edge 108 are disposed from the opening reducing position into the opening enlarging position. For example, with reference to FIG. 6, the platform panel 106 has a right corner flap portion 118 and a left corner flap portion 120 as well as a central portion 122. If, say, the right corner flap portion 118 is designated as the one given portion of the platform panel, and the other given portion of the platform panel is designated as the central portion 122, it can be understood that the right corner flap portion 118 moves relative to the central portion 122 as the platform panel 106 and the sleeve opening edge 108 are disposed from the opening reducing position into the opening enlarging position.

The article to be retained—namely, the cell phone 16—can be inserted through the sleeve opening 110 when the platform panel 106 and the sleeve opening edge 108 are disposed in the opening enlarging position and the sleeve 14 and the deck 12 will then cooperate together to retain the cell phone 16 therebetween. It can be understood that the respective edge of the sleeve 14 that is opposite the sleeve opening edge 108 as viewed relative to the depth axis DE-AX is advantageously drawn relatively securely against the platform panel 106, thereby effectively preventing the retained article such as the cell phone 16 from passing between this respective edge of the sleeve 14 and the platform panel 106 and thus no longer being secured in the desired retained position. This respective edge of the sleeve 14—hereinafter designated as the preliminary close off edge 112—is drawn tight against the platform panel 106 by virtue of the folding of the platform panel 106 about the lateral axis relative to the lower panel 102. This folding movement creates a laterally extending relatively rigid interface between the platform panel 106 and the lower panel 102 at the location at which these two panels are joined to one another and this relatively rigid interface operates on the respective region of the platform panel 106 adjacent this interface such that this respective region of the platform panel 106 resists any folding motion applied to the platform panel 106 that would cause folding about the elevation axis EL-AX. Thus, this respective region of the platform panel 106 maintains its full lateral dimension even when a specific folding motion is applied to the platform panel 106 to cause folding about the elevation axis EL-AX in the form of the right corner flap portion 118 of the platform panel 106 moving relative to the central portion 122 of the platform panel 106 as the platform panel 106 and the sleeve opening edge 108 are disposed from the opening reducing position into the opening enlarging position, whereupon, if the sleeve 14 is correspondingly dimensioned relative to the lateral dimension of the platform panel 106, this respective region of the platform panel 106 will maintain the preliminary close off edge 112 relatively securely against the platform panel 106.

With reference now to this mechanism by which the respective region of the platform panel 106 maintains the preliminary close off edge 112 relatively securely against the platform panel 106, it can now be understood that the lower panel 102 operates as a type of “anchor” panel relative to the platform panel 106, whereupon it is noted that one aspect of the present invention is thus directed to the concept of the cooperative influence of an “anchor” panel, such as the lower panel 102, and the platform panel 106 on each other during the retaining configuration of the platform tier 10. The present invention advantageously exploits the phenomenon that an “anchor” panel, such as the lower panel 102, and the platform panel 106 are, in the retaining configuration, folded relative to one another at a fulcrum location between the two panels about the lateral axis LA-AX to form a retention included angle between the fulcrum edge portions of the platform panel and the anchor panel. The retention included angle between the fulcrum edge portions of the platform panel and the anchor panel is shown as the retention included angle RE-AN in FIG. 2. Additionally, the present invention advantageously exploits the phenomenon that the “anchor” panel, such as the lower panel 102, together with the platform panel 106, in the non-use configuration of the platform tier 10, delimits a sheet blank structure (in this instance, the platform panel 106 and the lower panel 102 themselves) in which the included angle between the fulcrum edge portions of the platform panel 106 and the “anchor” panel, such as the lower panel 102, as measured in the same direction as the retention included angle between the fulcrum edge portions of the platform panel 106 and the anchor panel in the retaining configuration of the platform tier 10, is greater than the retention included angle RE-AN, and the phenomenon that the platform panel 106 and the anchor panel are cooperatively configured such that a movement of the one given portion of the platform panel 106 on one side of the stage open path relative to the other given portion of the platform panel 106 on the opposite side of the stage open path as the platform panel 106 and the overlay opening edge 108 are disposed from the opening reducing position into the opening enlarging position does not substantially generate a movement of the “anchor” panel, such as the lower panel 102, about the depth axis DE-AX. For example, the folding of the platform panel 106 about the curved fold lines 112, 114, which serves to place the opening 110 in an enlarged position, does not substantially generate a movement of the lower panel 102 (acting as an “anchor” panel) about the depth axis DE-AX; instead, the lower panel 102 remains at its original lateral extent after the folding of the platform panel 106 about the curved fold lines 112, 114.

The sleeve 14 may be dimensioned and adapted to be positioned on the platform panel 106 in a relatively loose fit to the extent that the sleeve 14 can be slid relatively along the sheet blank 100 to be positioned on the platform panel 106. The design constraint in configuring the relative looseness of the sleeve 14 is that it is desired that the sleeve 14 fit closely in a huggable type manner about the article that is to be retained on the platform panel 106 in the retaining configuration of the platform tier 10. Alternatively, if the sleeve 14 is configured as a single sheet and does not encircle the platform panel 106 in a closed loop manner, the sleeve 14 can be secured to the platform panel 106 via, for example, an adhesive application on opposite lateral sides of the sleeve to adhere these locations of the sleeve to the platform panel 106.

Reference is now had to FIG. 8, which is a schematic perspective view of both the platform tier 10 and an allied package module, with the assembly of the platform tier 10 and the allied package module hereinafter designated as a housing 150. The housing 150 is deployable as a container in which the platform tier 10 is secured to remain in a predetermined relationship relative to the housing 150. The housing 150 may be deployed, for example, as an internal stabilization component of a packaging kit having an exterior box. In this configuration, it can be seen that the platform panel 106 is cut out of a leaf panel 152 and this leaf panel 152, along with an opposite side leaf panel 154 (shown only partially and in broken lines), engage the upper and lower sides of an external box to thereby secure the platform tier 10 in a “suspended” disposition centrally in the exterior box.

Reference is now had to FIG. 7, which is a top elevational view of a flat, planar sheet blank of a further version of the article suspension platform, hereinafter generally designated as the sheet blank 300, that is comprised of the sleeve 14 and a cardboard sheet material, a portion of which will ultimately form the deck 12 of the platform tier 10, as will be described in more detail hereinafter. The sheet blank 300 includes the same lower panel 102 and the same upper panel 104 as has been described with respect to the article suspension platform shown in FIGS. 1-4 but the platform panel of the sheet blank 300, hereinafter designated as the platform panel 306, which is ultimately as the deck 12 in a manner to be described in more detail hereinafter and which has the sleeve 14 fitted therearound in a generally loose fit, is configured to provide a different folding characteristic than the platform panel 106 as has been described with respect to the article suspension platform shown in FIGS. 1-4. The sheet blank 300 is disposable between a non-erected configuration and an erected configuration in which the platform panel 306 is intermediate the lower panel 102 and the upper panel 104 as viewed relative to the elevation axis. The platform panel 306 has a stage open path that is a line that is not parallel to the lateral axis LA-AX—namely, the stage open path is a fold line 308 that is perpendicular to the lateral axis LA-AX. A lateral fold line 310 is located in the fulcrum location between the platform panel 306 and the lower panel 102 that extends laterally partially across the lateral dimension of the fulcrum location and a cut line 312 extends laterally partially across the lateral dimension of the fulcrum location. By virtue of the cut line 312, the platform panel 306 can be partially folded on the fold line 308 about the depth axis DE-AX to create a gap between the sleeve 14 and the platform panel 306 for inserting an article to be retained.

The present invention comprises a method for the immobilization of one or more articles of packaging within an outer container, wherein the outer container may be the housing 50 or may a container in which the housing 50 is retained such as the exterior box 52. As has been heretofore described, the sleeve 14 is disposed on the platform panel 106 with the opening 110 and the preliminary close off edge 212 at a spacing from one another relative to the depth axis DE-AX with the preliminary close off edge 212 being relatively closer to the fulcrum location at which the platform panel 106 and the lower panel 102 are connected to one another. Reference is now had again to FIG. 6 in connection with the following description of the method of the present invention via which the sheet panel 100 is transformed from its flat, generally planer configuration (the non-use configuration of the platform tier 10) to a folded up configuration in which the housing 50 shown in FIG. 2 has the platform tier 10 enclosed within the receipt volume REC-VOL (the retaining configuration of the platform tier 10). As seen in FIG. 6, the sleeve 14 is in a relatively loose or “blouse”-type encirclement around the platform panel 106 when the sheet panel 100 is in its flat configuration. Although other folding steps can be performed ahead of the folding step via which the platform panel 106 is folded about the lateral axis LA-AX relative to the lower panel 102, for illustrative purposes, the first folding step to be undertaken will be deemed to be the folding of the platform panel 106 about the lateral axis LA-AX relative to the lower panel 102 to dispose the platform panel 106 at the retention included angle RE-AN. This folding is accomplished about the fold line FL-10. Thereafter, a support tab 214 connected to the platform panel 106 can be folded about a fold line FL-12 and side flare tab portions 216, 218 of the support tab 214 are each folded about a respective fold line FL-14, FL-16, with the result that the platform panel 106 is supported on the lower panel 102 via the support tab 214, as seen, for example, in FIG. 2. The platform panel 106 can then be folded relatively about the curved fold lines 112, 114 to dispose the opening 110 in an enlarged position, whereupon the cell phone 16 can be inserted a stowage position in which the cell phone is intermediate the sleeve 14 and the platform panel 106.

The folding of the support tab 214 about the fold line FL-12 serves to restore the platform panel 106 from its slightly folded disposition into its original flat, generally planar orientation, whereupon the opening 110 is reduced from its enlarged disposition to a reduced disposition. The cell phone 16 is now securely affixed between the opening edge 108 and the preliminary close off edge 212 of the sleeve 14 in the sense that the cell phone is substantially precluded from movement relative to the depth axis DE-AX. Additionally, due to the appropriate dimensioning of the sleeve 14 relative to the platform panel 106, the cell phone 16 is substantially precluded from shifting laterally relative to the lateral axis LA-AX.

Following the insertion of the cell phone 16 between the sleeve 14 and the platform panel 106, a longitudinal side panel 216 is folded about a lateral fold line FL-18 into a perpendicular orientation with respect to the lower panel 102. Then, the upper panel 104 is folded about a lateral fold line FL-20 relative to the longitudinal side panel 216 to dispose the upper panel 104 in an orientation in which the upper panel is parallel to the lower panel 102. A longitudinal side panel 218 is then folded a lateral fold line FL-22 relative to the upper panel 104 into an orientation in which this longitudinal side panel 218 is parallel to the other longitudinal side panel 216. An under tab 220 is then folded about a lateral fold line FL-24 relative to the longitudinal side panel 218 into an orientation in which the under panel 220 is parallel to, and below, the lower panel 102 and an under flap 222 is then folded about a fold line FL-26 relative to the under panel 220 to effect an insertion of the under flap 222 into a corresponding slot 224 formed in the lower panel 102. A lateral side tab 226 has two portions and one portion is folded flush against the other portion about a fold line FL-28 and the lateral side tab 226, now folded upon itself, is folded about a fold line FL-30 parallel to the depth axis DE-AX into a perpendicular orientation relative to the lower panel 102. Another lateral side tab 228 is formed on an opposite lateral side of the lower panel 102 and has two portions. One portion of the lateral side tab 228 is folded about a fold line FL-32 into a flush orientation with the other portion and the lateral side tab 228, with its two portions now in folded together with one another, is then folded about a fold line FL-34 parallel to the depth axis DE-AX to dispose the lateral side tab 228 in a perpendicular orientation to the lower panel 102.

The present invention also contemplates that the article to be retained—namely, the cell phone 16—can be disposed between the sleeve 14 and the platform panel 106 before the platform panel 106 has been folded relative to the platform panel 102. In this alternate article placement step, the cell phone 16 is inserted through the opening 110 while the sheet 100 is in its flat, generally planar configuration, and, as the platform panel 106 is thereafter folded about the fold line FL-10 relative to the lower panel 102, the operator ensures that the cell phone 16 remains disposed between the sleeve 14 and the platform panel 106 via, for example, applying an appropriate manual gripping of the sleeve 14 and the platform panel 106. The folding together of the sheet panel 100 then proceeds as has been described herein above with the exception that, since the cell phone 16 has already been disposed between the sleeve 14 and the platform panel 106, the article disposing step that is otherwise performed once the platform panel 106 has been folded relative to the lower panel 102 in not performed.

Once the housing 50 has been assembled as has been described with respect to the folding together of the sheet panel 100, an operator can optionally apply an appropriate adhesive such as, for example, single sided or double sided adhesive tape, to reinforce or supplement the various panels and tabs of the housing 50 in their folded together orientations. If the housing 50 is to serve as a stand-alone exterior box, labels or other printed indicia can be applied to the surfaces of the housing 50. On the other hand, if the housing 50 is to serve as an internal stabilization component of a package kit, the housing 50 can then be disposed within an outer container such as, for example, the exterior box 52 shown in FIG. 3, cushioning material (not shown) such as, for example, Styrofoam brand polymer cushioning or paper can then be optionally added between the housing 50 and the exterior box 52, and the exterior box 52 can be sealed and/or secured in conventional manner. Labels or other printed indicia can then be applied to appropriate exterior surfaces of the exterior box 52. For example, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 3, a shipping label 254 can be adhered to an exterior surface of the exterior box 52 in the same manner that the shipping label 54 is adhered to an exterior surface of the housing 50 when the housing 50 operates as a stand-alone box.

It is thus evident that the package, package kit, and method of the present invention offer flexibility and convenience in stowing, transporting, or displaying an article. The advantageous flexibility of the package can be seen, for example, in the flexibility to form the respective precursor blank that is ultimately assembled to form the tier platform 10 and allied package module—that is, the respective precursor blank exemplarily illustrated as the sheet blank 100—from any suitable single material or assembly of materials. Thus, the lower panel 102 can be formed of, for example, a double thickness cardboard material or a combination of a cardboard material and a polymer or plastic coating that is not subjected to any folding movement within the boundaries of the lower panel. This is for the reason that the lower panel 102 need not be subjected to a folding step perpendicular to the lateral axis LA-AX, whereas, in contrast, the platform panel 106 is subjected to a folding step perpendicular to the lateral axis LA-AX. Thus, the advantages of such a configuration over, for example, a package configuration in which the entirety of the precursor blank along its longitudinal dimension perpendicular to a lateral axis must necessarily be subjected to a folding movement applied to the precursor blank to cause folding about the longitudinal axis, are clear.

The present invention offers many and substantial advantages over prior art packaging kits, systems and methods, for example, and not to be limited to, the employment of minimum pre-use storage space since the items, that is the sheet blank 100 and the sleeve 14 means may be stored together or separately in a flat condition for high density storage. The invention permits a universal application, since the sleeve 14 may be adapted to stretch over one or more of a variety of articles to be packaged and pack a variety of different articles of regular or odd shapes, reducing substantially the inventory of packaging materials required where there are a number of articles to be packaged. The platform tier, kit, and method of the present invention can offer environmental appropriate configurations including, for example, a configuration of the sleeve 14 of a recyclable film, such as, for example, recycled polyethylene or other flexible plastic film or a corn-starch based plastic and a configuration of the sheet blank 100 of corrugated or paper-type material such as reusable corrugated cardboard.

The inventive platform tier and kit is reusable and can be knocked down easily and the immobilized article removed by placing the sheet blank 100 in an article insertion or open position, forming the housing 50 via folding and optional securing of the panels of the housing 50 to one another, and then removing the article from the housing 50 and therefore the sleeve 14 or the sheet blank 100 may be then used for later re-use. The platform tier and kit thus avoid several of the disadvantages found with loose tubes, foam-type material and foam in place packaging systems, and reduces disposable problems, as the components may be made of low-cost, easily disposed of, recyclable components. In the configuration of the sleeve 14 as a closed loop band that is not secured to the sheet blank 100 but is, instead, slid over the sheet blank, the sleeve facilitates recycling of the sleeve in that the sleeve can be readily slid off the sheet blank for recycling. The platform tier and the kit each provides the capability to be configured as a combination of various films of plastic film, non-plastic film, foam films, or air bubble plastic films with various sheet blank materials to be used, and therefore allows for a wide range of applications of sheet blank and sleeve materials for the platform tier, kit, and method.

The teachings of this application are not to be construed as being limited to any particular package, package kit, or method of configuring a package or a package kit. While various embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims. 

1. A package for retaining an article, the package comprising: a sheet material, the sheet material having a lower panel, an upper panel, and a platform panel, the sheet material being disposable between a retaining configuration in which the platform panel is intermediate the lower panel and the upper panel as viewed relative to an elevation axis and a non-use configuration, the lower panel and the upper panel delimiting, in the retaining configuration, a receipt volume having pair of lateral sides spaced apart from one another as viewed relative to a lateral axis perpendicular to the elevation axis and a pair of ends spaced apart from one another as viewed relative to a depth axis perpendicular to the elevation axis and the lateral axis, the platform panel being foldable about the lateral axis to dispose the platform panel within a respective area that will ultimately be delimited as the receipt volume once the sheet material is disposed in its retaining configuration; and an overlay, the overlay having a lateral extent across at least a portion of the platform panel and having an opening edge, the overlay being arranged relative to the platform panel in a manner wherein the opening edge of the overlay and a counter facing portion of the platform panel together delimit an opening through which an article can be inserted for positioning of the article in a stowage position with the overlay extending along one side of the article and the platform panel extending along an opposite side of the article, the overlay opening edge being on one respective side of an opening border and the counter facing portion of the platform panel being on the other respective side of the opening border, the platform panel having a stage open path and at least a portion of the stage open path delimits a line that is not parallel to the lateral axis, the platform panel and the overlay opening edge being disposable from an opening reducing position into an opening enlarging position and one given portion of the platform panel on one side of the stage open path moving relative to another given portion of the platform panel on an opposite side of the stage open path as the platform panel and the overlay opening edge are disposed from the opening reducing position into the opening enlarging position.
 2. A package for retaining an article according to claim 1, wherein the platform panel in the opening enlarging position has a gap location and the overlay opening edge has a corresponding gap location with the respective gap locations defining a transverse line passing through the gap locations, the gap location of the platform panel and the corresponding gap location on the overlay opening edge being spaced further from one another relative to the transverse line when the platform panel and the overlay opening edge are in the opening enlarging position than when the platform panel and the overlay opening edge are in the opening reducing position, and, as the platform panel and the overlay opening edge are disposed from the opening reducing position into the opening enlarging position, the one given portion of the platform panel on the one side of the stage open path moves about the elevation axis relative to the other given portion of the platform panel on the opposite side of the stage open path.
 3. A package for retaining an article according to claim 1, wherein, as the platform panel and the overlay opening edge are disposed from the opening reducing position into the opening enlarging position, the one given portion of the platform panel on the one side of the stage open path moves about the depth axis relative to the other given portion of the platform panel on the opposite side of the stage open path.
 4. A package for retaining an article, the package comprising: a sheet material, the sheet material having an anchor panel and a platform panel, the sheet material being disposable between a retaining configuration in which a portion of the platform panel is spaced from the anchor panel as viewed relative to an elevation axis and a non-use configuration, the anchor panel and the platform panel each having a fulcrum edge portion and the fulcrum edge portions of the anchor panel and the platform panel being connected to one another at a fulcrum location, the anchor panel and the platform panel being foldable relative to one another at the fulcrum location about a lateral axis perpendicular to the elevation axis; and an overlay, the overlay having a lateral extent along at least a portion of the platform panel and having a depth extent as viewed relative to a depth axis perpendicular to the elevation axis and the lateral axis and the overlay having an opening edge, the overlay being arranged relative to the platform panel in a manner wherein the opening edge of the overlay and a counter facing portion of the platform panel together delimit an opening through which an article can be inserted for positioning of the article in a stowage position with the overlay extending along one side of the article and the platform panel extending along an opposite side of the article, the overlay opening edge being on one respective side of an opening border and the counter facing portion of the platform panel being on the other respective side of the opening border, the platform panel having a stage open path and at least a portion of the stage open path delimits a line that is not parallel to the lateral axis, the platform panel and the overlay opening edge being disposable from an opening reducing position into an opening enlarging position and one given portion of the platform panel on one side of the stage open path moving relative to another given portion of the platform panel on an opposite side of the stage open path as the platform panel and the overlay opening edge are disposed from the opening reducing position into the opening enlarging position, the anchor panel and the platform panel, in the retaining configuration, being folded relative to one another at the fulcrum location about the lateral axis to form a retention included angle between the fulcrum edge portions of the platform panel and the anchor panel and the platform panel and the anchor panel, in the non-use configuration, together delimiting a sheet blank in which the included angle between the fulcrum edge portions of the platform panel and the anchor panel, as measured in the same direction as the retention included angle between the fulcrum edge portions of the platform panel and the anchor panel in the retaining configuration, is greater than the retention included angle, and the platform panel and the anchor panel are cooperatively configured such that a movement of the one given portion of the platform panel on one side of the stage open path relative to the other given portion of the platform panel on the opposite side of the stage open path as the platform panel and the overlay opening edge are disposed from the opening reducing position into the opening enlarging position does not substantially generate a movement of the anchor panel about the depth axis.
 5. A package kit comprising: an exterior container; and an interior container, the interior container being disposable in the exterior container and having a sheet material and an overlay, the sheet material having a lower panel, an upper panel, and a platform panel, the sheet material being disposable between a retaining configuration in which the platform panel is intermediate the lower panel and the upper panel as viewed relative to an elevation axis and a non-use configuration, the lower panel and the upper panel delimiting, in the retaining configuration, a receipt volume having pair of lateral sides spaced apart from one another as viewed relative to a lateral axis perpendicular to the elevation axis and a pair of ends spaced apart from one another as viewed relative to a depth axis perpendicular to the elevation axis and the lateral axis, the platform panel being foldable about the lateral axis to dispose the platform panel within a respective area that will ultimately be delimited as the receipt volume once the sheet material is disposed in its retaining configuration, and the overlay having a lateral extent across at least a portion of the platform panel and having an opening edge, the overlay being arranged relative to the platform panel in a manner wherein the opening edge of the overlay and a counter facing portion of the platform panel together delimit an opening through which an article can be inserted for positioning of the article in a stowage position with the overlay extending along one side of the article and the platform panel extending along an opposite side of the article, the overlay opening edge being on one respective side of an opening border and the counter facing portion of the platform panel being on the other respective side of the opening border, the platform panel having a stage open path and at least a portion of the stage open path delimits a line that is not parallel to the lateral axis, the platform panel and the overlay opening edge being disposable from an opening reducing position into an opening enlarging position and one given portion of the platform panel on one side of the stage open path moving relative to another given portion of the platform panel on an opposite side of the stage open path as the platform panel and the overlay opening edge are disposed from the opening reducing position into the opening enlarging position. 